


Vulcan Brandy

by LivingOutLoud



Series: Your Name on My Skin [5]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, M/M, Other, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-08-13 20:57:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7985959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LivingOutLoud/pseuds/LivingOutLoud
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's flirting and way too much booze and a drunken shouting match. The usual day off, you know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vulcan Brandy

**Author's Note:**

> A soulmate marks AU where everyone is born with the name of their Soulmates on them. This is a series of Chekov/McCoy oneshots exploring what would happen in a world where you know someone is meant to be your soulmate by their name alone, without knowing anything else about them, and how that stunts Chekov and McCoy’s relationship before it even begins, and the painfully slow journey it takes them to finally accept it. The one-shots will be self-contained snapshots of their changing relationship in chronological order.

The Enterprise was docked at a space port at the edge of heavily populated federation space. Kirk and Scotty were working with a team of a hundred to get the ship tweaked and repaired until it was running perfectly. From this moment on, there was no telling how long it might be between well stocked space ports and extra hands to help with repairs. Like Jim’s favorite tag-line said, going where no man has gone before. From now on they had a few more months of traveling through sparsely populated pioneer planets the federation had settled, mostly with farmers or research crews, then after that it was into the great unknown, further than star fleet had settled, and eventually further than any reconnaissance ship had gone. There was no telling what they would face.

As they were docked, the crew explored the vast space port, spending as much time as possible off the enterprise. The majority of the over 400 crew were going to be stuck on the ship for a very long time, unless they were specially picked for an away mission, but that was mostly saved for officers.

Kirk had managed to save a large table in the middle of the more rowdy club on the space port. Many of the officers came and went at all hours of the day, but there were usually at least four or five of Kirk’s senior staff tipping back glasses or shouting about something at the table. But the crew of the Enterprise had gained a reputation in the years Kirk had been in command, for being brilliant and wild and extremely lucky, so they were given a wide birth.

Chekov spent much of his time at the table or at the bar, so much that the other officers were beginning to tease him about it.

“You’ve got to pace yourself, laddie.” Scottie called after Chekov as he made his way to the bar again. “That boy’s going to drink himself under the table before dinner, at this rate.”

“Leave him be, he’s experimenting, trying new things. We were that young not long ago,” Kirk said.

“Well whatever he’s trying to accomplish, someone should be watching over him.” Scotty said, glancing in Bones’ direction for only a moment.

“He’ll be fine.” Sulu said.

“I thought Mister Chekov’s motivations seemed quite obvious tonight.” Spock said.

“Oh?” Kirk said, raising an eyebrow.

“In my experience, human courtship rituals in places of this reputation are quite obvious.”

Kirk’s eyebrows raised higher, The men around the table couldn’t help but to look at McCoy who was sipping his bourbon.

“Like you said, Captain, leave him be.” Sulu said with a tinge of annoyance in his voice. He looked at Bones who stared back.

“Bones, you okay?” Jim asked.

“Why should I mind what the kid does on his time off?” McCoy said, stone faced. After a minute the men decided that was all they’d get out of him, and they went back to their conversation. But Bones couldn’t help his eyes traveling to find Chekov from time to time. Of course he was trolling the bar for people, the kid was nineteen and he was about to be stuck in a tin can for five years with the same group of old people who treated him like a child. Sure, Chekov was always telling them not to and they tried their best (okay, maybe not Bones, but everyone else.) Kirk trusted Chekov with their lives, and Scotty wouldn’t let anyone else touch the warp core except himself and Chekov. But emotionally, sexually, everyone still coddled Chekov like a baby. McCoy knew it happened and he didn’t deserve it. But knowing he deserved better and being the one to give him that were two very different things.

So McCoy buried the feelings of jealousy as Chekov sat at the bar flirting with various guys. McCoy told himself it was a subconscious response from the bond. Not because he was actually jealous, because holy hell he didn’t want to be on the opposite end of the teen’s giddy smile.

Chekov came to eat dinner with the rest of the officers at least, sitting next to Sulu and giggling at Kirk’s jokes. He was tipsy, that was for sure. But the kid was no light weight, knocking back vodkas like it was his mission. McCoy started to relax again. He was hoping for just one night with no incidents, where he didn’t spend the whole night angry at Spock or holding Jim back from a fight, or holding in some weird mix of affection and worry over Pavel, like some inappropriate mother hen.

Then some guy Chekov had been flirting with at the bar earlier strolled over, “If you’re done eating, and your captain doesn’t mind, would you like to have a dance?”

“Sure.” Chekov said, standing up quickly. He only looked back at the table after taking the man’s hand. And Chekov only looked to Kirk and Sulu, both smiling and shooing him away, so he left.

McCoy tried not to watch them, he really did. Only the other guy was older than Chekov, too old in McCoy’s view, somewhere between Jim and himself. And he was a big guy, looking none too friendly. Like Scotty had said, someone had to be looking after the kid. Chekov would look over at their table every once in a while, narrowing his eyes and pulling his lips thin in a look of annoyance. But it made McCoy feel less embarrassed as he turned away, that Sulu was also turning away, staring at the table in shame.

“Oh, my god! I wish you two would just get on with it.” Jim hissed when he caught Bones looking again. Except he was drunk and his hiss was more like a stifled shout. Bones snapped his head toward Jim, glaring at him. Then his gaze falls to the rest of the table, looking from Jim, to Sulu, to Chekov. He couldn’t tell who Sulu was glaring at more. But it was nothing compared to the look on Chekov’s face, who had obviously heard from the dance floor. The big guy he was with had stopped dancing, and they were having a heated argument. Chekov tried to grab the man’s shoulders, but he was pushed off and the big bulking man stomped over to McCoy at the table.

“What’s your problem, then?” The man said.

Bones nearly stood to defend himself, to fight for his own honour, then he saw the look on Chekov’s face following close behind the man, somewhere between tears and murder, and he stayed in his seat. “Me, I’ve got no problem.” McCoy said, playing at not understanding the man.

“You two got something going on between the two of you? You his soulmate or something?”

“No, nope.” McCoy said, a little too nervous.

The man turned to Chekov who looked devastated and said nothing.

“Oh my god…” The man muttered and began to walk away.

“It’s not like that.” Chekov pleaded.

“Whatever it is, I don’t want a part in it.” The guy said and walked out of the bar.

Chekov stood for a moment, staring after him, then he looked right at McCoy, tears welling in his eyes. “Why can’t you leave me alone?” He whispered. Then he left to sit at a table on the other side of the bar, his head falling into his arms.

The officer’s table went silent, everyone watching as Sulu stared the doctor down, looking like he might hit the older man. Sulu stood slowly. “I’m the one going after him, then?”

Bones didn’t answer. He pulled his bourbon closer to him and stared into his glass. Hikaru sat close to Chekov and slung an arm over the blonde’s shoulder, who was still laying on the table top. Instead of looking at them, McCoy swallowed his bourbon and ordered another. Then he stayed quiet while Scotty forced a conversation with Spock about repairs.

“Well, boys, I’m off to relieve Uhura from babysitting the repairmen.” Kirk said.

“Have fun, Captain. Make sure they’re treating the dampeners before reinstalling them.” Scotty said.

“Tell Uhura I’ll be back to our room soon.” Spock said.

McCoy said nothing, still pouting into his drink.

“Just sleep with each other already.” Kirk sighed.

Bones grimaced as Jim took his leave.

“Don’t listen to him, Laddie.” Scott said, “The captain doesn’t know anything about having a soulmate. You two just gotta find what kind of relationship works for you.”

“And what do you know about having a soulmate?” McCoy said, grumpily.

“Uh, more than you. Keenser and I have a functioning relationship, we actually talk to each other about life and feelings and things.”

Bones looked up, finally. “You and Keenser are soulmates? Since when?”

“Since birth.” Scotty retorted sarcastically.

“I share Mr. McCoy’s surprise,” Spock said, “I don’t recall seeing your names on the list of registered soulmates on the enterprise.”

“Well that’s the hypocrisy of the federation, isn’t it? They said there was no record of humans ever being bonded to asexually reproducing species so our claim was invalid. The judge actually asked me what that point would be if we weren’t going to reproduce. Can you believe that?” Scotty took a long swig of scotch. “Like you and Chekov are going to have so many babies, both being men and all. But that’s fine cause you’re both human.” He let out a mix between a laugh and a hiccup. “I couldn’t even argue the point cause the only person on this side of the galaxy that can read my blasted mark is Keenser, and apparently showing my name on them isn’t enough.”

McCoy grumbled noncommittally. He snuck a look at Chekov, who was sitting up slightly, another vodka in his hand. Sulu was leaning in close, whispering to him and, thank god, neither of them were looking toward Bones.

“Mr. Scott has made a good point,” Spock said. “Having a soulmate is not all about sex, as Jim so tactfully put it. Take Nyota and I for instance, we hardly ever sleep with each other. Our relationship relies on trust and companionship and fulfilling each other in different ways.”

“Hold on,” Scotty jumped in. “I never said keenser and I don’t have a good time, we just can’t reproduce. You and Uhura really don’t…ever?”

Spock sighed, “I’m Vulcan, if you remember. Their mating cycles are every seven years. Even as a half-human, I only find myself – enticed, shall we say, -once every year or so.”

McCoy and Scotty shared a look of disbelief between them.

“So, Uhura just…waits?” Scotty said with disbelief.

“That’s almost as bad as my track record.” McCoy muttered.

Then the waitress came past on her way back from Chekov’s table, who was still hammering down vodka. He flagged her down and leaned in to whisper. “stop giving that boy drinks, the Russian ordering vodka.” He said. “He’s not allowed any more.”

“I’m sorry, but unless you’re his soulmate or captain, you don’t have the authority…”

“I’m his CMO, dammit. And I’m the one that’s going to have to pick up the pieces tomorrow morning when he’s too hungover to do his job.”

“Alright, I’ll take care of it.” The waitress rushed away, looking a little scared.

“Anyway.” McCoy said, motioning for the other men to continue.

“As I was saying, Uhura can sleep with other people whenever she wants.”

Scotty choked his scotch.

“It’s the only logical answer.” Spock said, answering the questions on their faces. “It’s illogical to force me to copulate against my natural desires. It’s illogical to force Uhura not to when her human physiology requires such things. The only answer then is for her to fulfill those needs with other people, other humans who have the same needs as her.”

“I have so many questions.” Scotty muttered.

“Who?” McCoy said.

“Various people who she finds appropriate. Lieutenant Sulu, most often, though there are a few others. Though I must insist this knowledge doesn’t find it’s way to the captain.”

“You’d get a bit too jealous then?” Scotty laughed.

“Jim not knowing is Nyota’s rule. Though I must agree he would be rather insufferable until she agreed.”

“Translation: forever.” Even McCoy had to chuckle at the idea of Jim begging her, Uhura telling him to stuff it over and over again.

Spock looked down to his com for a second, “Speaking of Nyota, I should be getting back, she’ll be wondering why I’m not in bed.”

“But you just said you don’t sleep together.” McCoy said.

“Like I said, having a soulmate is about fulfilling their needs in various ways. Nyota needs cuddling and something warm to put her feet against.”

There was a commotion at Chekov’s table which distracted Leonard as Spock gathered his things.

“No, Hikaru.” Chekov was pulling away from Sulu, who was trying to keep Pavel at the table. The waitress Leonard had talked to was standing back from them, looking flustered.

“Shit.” McCoy muttered as Chekov stumbled his way back to the crew members, Sulu following behind.

“что ебатьб, you’re cutting me off?” Pavel shouted, shoving his finger in McCoy’s chest. “Who the hell do you think you are? My husband? My father? Отвали.”

McCoy stood to his full height, still taller than the boy by several inches. “I am your chief medical officer, and it’s my job to make sure…”

“Is it your job to treat me like a child? Is it your job to scare off every man who’s even a little bit interested in me?”

“Hey, kid, I’m not trying to ruin your night, I’m just trying to make sure you don’t end up needing your stomach pumped.”

“This has nothing to do with my drinking or my actions, this is about you not wanting me to have a good time. Just cause you’re miserable and alone and jaded doesn’t mean I should have to be!”

“You can do whatever the hell you want. I only stepped in cause I don’t want to have to deal with you in my med bay tomorrow morning!”

As their voices got louder and louder, Spock began to turn green under the awkwardness, Sulu was trying to de-escalate the two of them, and Scotty was pretending to be far too interested in his scotch to notice any of them. Meanwhile, Chekov kept dizzily poking his finger in McCoy’s chest, and McCoy kept waving his arms about with annoyance. The waitress had left, probably to go get a manager.

“But it isn’t tonight!” Chekov spat. “You do this all the time, staring at me, calling me a kid, not wanting me to go near you, not wanting me near anyone else, pretending like I’m some idiot that can’t understand you, societal norms, social cues. I understand the quantum physics in the warp cores. I understand the god damned shifting nexus of galactic fucking navigation! You think I’m stumped by the motivations of one middle aged pessimist? что ебатьб!”

Then Chekov reached for McCoy’s scotch. He flinched and closed his eyes, expecting Pavel to throw it in his face. Instead, the blonde downed it, followed by Scotty’s, then he reached for Spock’s glass. Spock let out a call of, “No, that’s Vulcan brandy.” But the glass went back until it was empty. Chekov slammed the last glass down on the table, then began to walk out.

After a few steps, Pavel swayed and nearly fell, and Sulu caught him and lifted him bridal-style.

“I guess I’ll take care of this too, then?” Sulu said with distain, turning away from McCoy and carrying the boy out before anyone could stop him.

 

 

In the morning, McCoy knocked loudly on Chekov’s quarters. He could hear water running and thought it was a good sign, though it could be the neighbouring quarters. He didn’t get an answer and used his medical code to open the door. Pavel was passed out on his bed, shirtless with the sheet covering half his chest, a trousered leg hanging off the bed. Trying not to notice the whisps of curly blonde hair beginning to grow on Chekov’s chest, Bones checked his pulse and made sure the kid was still breathing. Then he pressed his hypo spray to Chekov’s bare neck. The kid sat bolt upright, like he’d been shocked, then his hand went up to hold his head and he groaned.

            “Uuugh, дерьмо.” Chekov mumbled and reached around McCoy for his com on the night stand. “I’m so late, дерьмо,” Checkov groaned and went to sit up, pushing McCoy out of the way. Then he got a head rush and McCoy pushed him back on the bed.

            “Relax, under the circumstances, Spock and I told the captain you’d need the day off. Scotty’s taken your shift. Not that there’s much navigating to do in a space-dock.” McCoy chuckled. He changed out the vile in his hypo spray and gave Chekov a shot of something else. “I figured I should come to check you were still breathing after last night.”

            “What happened?” Chekov groaned.

            “You downed an entire glass of Vulcan Brandy in micro-seconds. You’re lucky Sulu caught you on your way down or you’d probably have a concussion to boot.”

            Pavel ran his hand over his face. “I should apologise for everything last night, I was a wreck.”

            “Hey, we were all twenty once, and I’ve been saying that Vulcan stuff should have a visible warning label on it, ever since Jim tried to down a bottle on a dare…”

            “Not the drunkenness.” Chekov stopped him, sitting up slowly in bed. “Alright, a little bit the drunkenness. But the arguing, the temper tantrum. It’s not the kind of person I am, just…

            There was a pause of silence, but McCoy didn’t try to break it. He took a tentative seat on the end of Chekov’s bed, past his feet.

            “My mother always said, when life gives you lemons, be happy you won’t starve.” Chekov sighed, staring at his hands. “And I try to be positive, I do. But sometimes it’s all just a bit too much and I need to vent. But I shouldn’t have dragged you down with me.”

            “Your mother sounds like a smart woman.” McCoy laughed.

            “Da, she was.” Chekov smiled a little.

            Sorry, I didn’t know.”

            “It’s alright, it was years and years ago.” Chekov pulled his knees toward his chest and wrapped those long bare arms around the blanketed limbs, looking back up at Leonard. “What I’m trying to say is I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things to you. And I hate arguing. So next time, just walk away from me and I’ll calm down by myself and be back to normal in a while, okay?”

            “I’ll try, but fighting is kind of my thing, if you haven’t noticed. Besides, you’ve got every right to be pissed at me, I know I act like an ass most of the time.”

            Chekov’s brows furrowed. “I’m not mad at you.” He said, confused. “The universe, fate, timing, a society that cares so much about these stupid marks, sure. But not you personally. Were both stuck in the same mess. I just don’t like fighting or getting yelled at.” Chekov chewed on his lip and looked away. “I don’t handle it well.”

            “I’ll try.” McCoy said. “I will. Do you need another hypo? Are you still feeling hung over?”

            “It’s fine, I’m going to get up and go for a run.” Chekov said, smiling when Bones made a face. “It’s the best hangover cure. You should try it.”

            “No thank you,” McCoy laughed.

            “Come on, all the endorphins and circulation. You’re the doctor, you know…”

            The water turned off in the adjacent bathroom, the one Bones hadn’t even noticed, and Sulu walked out, half dressed and his black hair still dripping. He looked from Chekov still undressed to the doctor perched on the end of the bed. “I didn’t think you’d be up yet, Pasha.”

            Bones stood up from the bed. “I’ll get going, since you’re feeling fine.”

            He was half-way out the door as Hikaru tried to say he didn’t need to go. He was already in his office when Sulu caught up with him, still dripping but at least wearing a shirt.

            “You didn’t need to go.” He said, closing the door behind him.

            “I didn’t want to intrude, I didn’t realize…”

            Hikaru put his hands on McCoy’s desk so the older man would look up at him, “Really, it’s not like that.”

            “It’s fine, really it is.” McCoy said. “He deserves to have someone who’s going to make him happy.”

            “Yeah, he does. But I’m not that person.” Hikaru said. “I’m serious, nothing happened. I carried him back to his room last night, but he was passed out cold, I was worried he was going to swallow his tongue or something, so I stayed over. That’s it.”

            “Oh.” McCoy said. He refused to acknowledge the knot in his stomach that had just untied itself. “Well, still. I want him to know it’s fine with me, I want everyone to know I’m not some gate keeper to him. He deserves to be happy.”

            With that, McCoy assumed the conversation was over and started moving around paper work.

“You know, you could make him happy.” Sulu said. After the glare Leonard gave him, he sighed. “Look, you laughed more in the last five minutes than I’ve heard you laugh in the last six months. And Pavel seems happy too, when the two of you aren’t screaming at each other. Don’t you both deserve it?”

“He’s just a kid, Sulu. You’re his friend, of all people, you should-“

“He’s really not.” Hikaru cut him off. “I’m not sure if he ever was in the sense you’re thinking.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Naïve, care-free, easily taken advantage of.”

“Everyone’s like that as kids, even if they think they’re not. Believe me, I’ve got a kid. And maybe he’s not a kid anymore, but I’m still way too old for him.”

“You really don’t know him at all do you? I don’t know what he was like as a child, but I do know that at thirteen, I walked into my dorm to find a scrawny curly haired kid who’d rearranged the whole room without asking so his desk was by the window because he didn’t like the glare of fluorescent lights and he told me that’s just how it was going to be. On my twenty first birthday, we had a raging house party in my dorm, and Chekov spent the whole evening refusing to move off the couch with his PAD, headphones blasting Tchaikovsky because he needed to study and he only liked studying in our room, and come hell or high water or drunken co-eds he wasn’t going to move. Believe me doctor, you’re not going to convince him to eat something different for dinner, never mind to be with you if he doesn’t want to do it.”

“Maybe I don’t know him, I don’t know.” McCoy looked down at his paper work. “Did his mother pass away?”

“Yeah, when he was a kid. Did he just mention it now?”

“Yeah.” McCoy muttered.

“He talks about her a lot. You’ll get used to his eccentricities if you’re going to be friends.”

“And who said we’re going to be that?”

“Six months, Doc.” Sulu smiled, leaving the office.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long to get submitted. At least it's a fairly long piece. In future they'll be shorter pieces and should be uploaded in less time. All the Russian used in this piece are swears by the way. Chekov has bad habits when he's drunk.


End file.
